Concerns persist for the hundreds of staff employed at 16 Debenhams stores in the Republic and the North as Debenhams said it was trading as normal despite its UK holding company going into administration.

A growth in online sales helped the Irish division of UK department store Debenhams sharply reduce its pre-tax losses to €246,000 last year.

A CHALLENGING year for Debenhams Retail (Ireland) saw its pre-tax profits plunge from €16.7 million to almost €6m last year.

DEBENHAMS Retail (Ireland) returned to profitability last year in Ireland following massive pre-tax losses in 2007 which resulted from acquisition of Roches Stores.